Glossary

ACP Countries: Developing countries in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP).

Article 208, Lisbon Treaty: Article 208(1) describes how “The Union shall take account of the objectives of development cooperation in the policies that it implements, which are likely to affect developing countries”.

Budget support-like modalities: These could be, for example, budget support contracts that are conditioned by requirements to good governance, achievement of specific development goals, reforms within specific sectors or achievement of specific statebuilding goals. An example of such a modality is the development contracts that Denmark has entered with Tanzania and Ghana.

Cotonou Agreement: EU development cooperation with 79 countries in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP countries is an example of a unique partnership that gathers all EU relations (e.g. political and economic cooperation, including development cooperation) under a political framework, “The Cotonou Agreement”. The agreement is due for revision in 2015, and discussions have begun on how a future partnership is to look after the agreement expires in 2020.

Council of Ministers and European Council: The national line ministries (e.g. agricultural ministers or development ministers) from each EU Member State meet in the Council of Ministers, which together with the European Parliament is the legislative body and where each Member State has a fixed number of votes. The Heads of State or Government of the EU Member States and the President of the Commission also meet in the European Council, which primarily lays down the EU’s general guidelines and has a permanent President.

Emerging economies: The group of low and middle-income countries which in recent years have experienced substantial economic growth rates. This group is most often exemplified by the BRIC countries – Brazil, Russia, India and China – but can also include countries such as Nigeria, Mexico and Indonesia.

European Commission: The European Commission has the right of initiative to present new policy and legislative proposals for adoption by the Council and the European Parliament. The Commission also has responsibility for the management of the EU’s budget and fonds, including EU funding for development and humanitarian assistance. In the development field, the Commission has responsibility for the detailed preparation and implementation of EU development funds.

EU Delegations: With the adoption of the Lisbon Treaty, the EU Delegations took over responsibility for the EU Presidency tasks at local level. It is thus the Delegation that represents the EU in relation to the host country and is responsible for the internal EU coordination locally.

European External Action Service: The European External Action Service ensures coherent and coordinated EU external action and assists with drafting and implementing political proposals approved by the Council. The European External Action Service has responsibility for the general programming of EU development funds together with the Commission. The Service also has principal responsibility for the nearly 140 EU Delegations located around the world.

European Investment Bank: The European Investment Bank lends funds to projects in Europe and in certain third countries, including the countries in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP countries). Through the Investment Facility (IF), funds are lent (both from the Bank’s own resources and funds from the European Development Fund) to projects in the ACP countries under the “Cotonou Agreement”. The loans are designed to contribute to promoting economic development in ACP countries and are given both to the private sector and the public sector.

European Parliament: The European Parliament constitutes of directly elected members from the EU Member States. The Parliament’s most important tasks are to pass EU legislation together with the Council, to carry out ongoing democratic oversight of the other EU institutions and to adopt the EU budget together with the Council.

G77 Group: A loose coalition of developing countries whose purpose is to safeguard and promote the group’s common interests in international negotiations. The coalition’s name stems from the 77 members that the group had when it was founded in 1964. Today, the group has 134 member countries.

Global Public Goods: The terms for things which the world collectively benefits from, such as international financial stability, peace and security, bio-diversity, clean air, absence of severe climate change and global disease epidemics.

Green growth: Green growth is understood as an integral part of sustainable growth which promotes general economic growth and development in a manner that enables the environment today and in future to deliver the resources and environmental services upon which global prosperity and welfare depends. Green growth should catalyse investments, innovation and job creation which not only sustain continued growth but also leads to new economic opportunities.

Human Rights-Based Approach to Development: A human rights-based approach to development entails 1) that the goal of development cooperation contributes to achieving human rights and reducing poverty, 2) that all phases of development cooperation are governed by human rights standards and principles, and 3) that there is focus on rights holders and duty bearers, as well as the capacity of these individuals to claim and fulfil the commitments related to human rights.

International Dialogue on Peacebuilding and Statebuilding: An international cooperation to create more effective development in the world’s fragile states. “The International Dialogue on Peacebuilding and Statebuilding” is a collaboration between the G7+ association of fragile states and the developed countries in OECD, whose objective is to strengthen dialogue between national actors, donors, other development partners, multilateral organisations and civil society.

Multi-dimensional interventions: Interventions which seek to incorporate state-building and development elements in an attempt to lay the foundation for ensuring that the particular conflict-affected state can develop into a sustainable, political unit.

New Deal: The “New Deal for Engagement in Fragile States” is an initiative for innovation of development interventions in fragile states, for example by forming partnerships and setting clear state-building and peace-building goals. Behind the New Deal is the G7+ group as well as a number of OECD countries that act as partner countries to the G7+ countries.

Resilience: The ability of people to withstand food crises, natural disasters, conflicts and other crises. Resilience is best promoted through coherent solutions that strengthen the local community’s food security and crisis management capacity.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs uses cookies on the Ministry's website

We use cookies to optimize the user experience and target the content on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark. By clicking ACCEPT you accept the use of cookies from the Ministry and third parties on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Select SETTINGS to choose which cookies you wish to accept.

Information about the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' use of cookies

We use cookies to optimize the user experience and target the content on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark. The collection of information also helps targeting of relevant content, compile statistics as well as marketing.

The first time you visit the homepage of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, you will see a banner with information about cookies. By clicking the "Accept"-button, you agree that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and third parties use cookies.

By clicking "Show Settings", you are able to choose which cookies you wish to accept.